York

[infailtration]

● York
leave one if you need me
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[infailtration]

[ York blinks, expression shifting again, this time to disbelief. ]

...how the hell is it your fault? Any of it?

[bothbarrels]

[ He's turned his head to look at York; now he shakes his head. ]

I mean the part where I brought it up, York. Should have known better.

[ He lays back and squints at the bunk above him. ]

How about I switch that to something else? Uh...weirdest thing you've ever eaten?

[infailtration]

Oh.

[ Well, he can't really argue that, but he'll take the out. He thinks for a moment, it's been a long time since he got to be adventurous with food. ]

Probably grub burgers? What about you?

[bothbarrels]

Alligator. Is that your question for me or you just asking as an aside?

[infailtration]

Just an aside. Truth or dare?

[bothbarrels]

Truth.

[ In North's experience the dares come after harder questions do. ]

[infailtration]

[ York hums, then decides to go for something more existential. ]

If you could have been anything at all, what would you have done with your life?

[bothbarrels]

Anything?

[ That gives him some pause, because he was such a damned good sniper, he has a hard time thinking about having been anything else, now.

Eventually, he decides to go for the obvious. ]

Maybe a teacher. Or a social worker.

[infailtration]

[ York smiles, because he can see that suiting North. Either choice. And maybe they have something else in common that he never thought about. ]

Kids or adults?

[bothbarrels]

Oh, kids, definitely. Having gotten to know Theta pretty well, I've learned a lot about how to handle things that...I think getting some education in would have been interesting and fun.

Though social work would deal with families, which would be another thing I'd enjoy.

[infailtration]

[ York nods, still smiling. ]

Did I ever tell you I've always wanted kids?

[bothbarrels]

[ North rolls on his side to face York, one arm propping his head up. ]

Nah, you never did. I didn't know that about you.

I did, too.

[infailtration]

For awhile, during the war but before Freelancer, I thought if I made it through I'd wind up fostering like Laura did for me.

[bothbarrels]

[ He smiles. ]

A way to give back, huh?

[infailtration]

I didn't really think of it that way, like repayment or whatever. Just that those kids need someone who understands it.

[bothbarrels]

That's...kind of what I was talking about. Like, you'd be giving your expertise in it to other kids who'd need it.

[infailtration]

Sure, then. Plus if I turn out to be a terrible parent I can give them back.

[ He's joking. It's a bad joke, and he doesn't actually think he'd be a bad parent, but since he can never actually do the thing now that he's dead he has to joke about it somehow. ]

[bothbarrels]

[ North, of course, takes him seriously. He sits up. ]

Why, York, that wouldn't be necessary. You'd be great at it.

[infailtration]

[ York blinks. It was just a joke, but North sounds like he really believes that. ]

You think?

[bothbarrels]

Yeah, I do. You do good with Theta, after all. Talking to him and stuff.

[infailtration]

It's not really something I think about anymore. But it would've been nice.

[ Is it his turn? ]

Truth.

[bothbarrels]

All right. Uh...

[ He taps his chin. ]

You rub a genie's lamp and get three wishes. What do you wish for? And you know the rules, no wishing for more wishes, all that.

[infailtration]

Okay, first one's easy: war's over, no more war in my lifetime. Forever seems unrealistic, but that's definitely doable. Second, set me up with a nest egg and property on an outer colony. Third...

[ His grin wavers. The question is what he'd wish for, not what he wants most. ]

...free the genie, maybe?

[bothbarrels]

[ He grins. ]

What a kind and generous master!

[infailtration]

Hey, they might stick around after and be my buddy. But yeah magic enslavement sounds shitty -- I wouldn't wish for anything that affects someone else, and keeping the genie trapped is kind of shitty.